


And It Had All Started So Well

by knitekat



Series: Aftermath [2]
Category: Primeval
Genre: BAMF Lester, Banter, Child Death, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Raptors, School, Shock, So Near And Yet So Far
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-09 16:49:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1990350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lester decides to accompany the team to an anomaly at a school. He soon wonders if it was a good idea when he is informed a child is missing and his team is too far away to help search. </p>
<p>Prequel to Aftermath. The reason why Lester was in the state he was in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And It Had All Started So Well

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks go Lukadreaming for the beta.

Lester sighed softly as his driver pulled into the car park. An anomaly in a school. This was even worse than Monty rampaging on the M25.

The sight of the crowd of children craning over the fence to see what was happening did not bode well for the secrecy of this operation.

The only good thing Lester could see about this situation so far was that the children had been evacuated. Thank God for small mercies.

Then Lester raised an eyebrow as he approached the ARC team. What exactly was a child doing in the middle of this?

The girl looked directly at Lester and asked. “Who's he?”

Jenny glanced around and smiled at Lester. “Ah, Sir James. This is Taylor Crane. She found the anomaly and hit the fire alarm.”

“Why ...” Lester paused for a moment, then. “Hmm. The Silurian scorpion.”

“Yeah. Nick says I can join you lot when I'm old enough.”

“Did he?”

“Yeah. Who're you?”

Nick broke into the conversation. “He's in charge of the ARC.”

“Oh. You'll be my boss then.”

“We'll see. Now Jenny, what is the situation?”

***

Nick knelt to examine the tracks that Finn had located.

“Well Cutter, what are they?”

“They're some kind of ceratopsian.”

“Which would be... ?”

Nick grinned. “Isn't it time you knew about some of these creatures, Lester?”

“That's what I pay you for, Cutter. Now, be a good employee and deal with it.”

Nick rolled his eyes before turning away. “Captain, let's go.”

Lester watched as his people began to track the creature, which apparently had headed off towards the trees at the far edge of the playing fields. He sighed, one good piece of news was that at least it was away from any populated area.

Not having anything else to do at the moment as Jenny was perfectly capable of dealing with the public, Lester decided to lean against his car and observe the smooth running of his team. Maybe deciding to accompany the team to an anomaly hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

A hand tugged at Lester's jacket. He looked down into the worried face of a young lad. How the hell had the child got through to him?

“Please, sir. My friend isn't here.”

Lester quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” At the boy's nervous nod, Lester sighed. This was just what he didn't want to happen. “When did you last see him?”

“Just before the alarm went off, he said he had seen a dinosaur. I thought he was joking. But he isn't here.”

“Where did he see this supposed dinosaur?”

The boy glanced down. “The library, sir.”

Lester cursed under his breath before handing the child to Jenny to deal with. The team would be on the other side of the school by now. Too far away. As Lester took a spare rifle someone grabbed his arm.

“James?” Jenny's voice sounded concerned.

“I'm not leaving a child in there. Call Captain Ryan, inform him of the situation. Get him back here.” _Get back here now, Tom, I need you._

Striding off into the school with more confidence than he truly felt, Lester had to wonder why he had chosen today to see an anomaly.

Pausing just inside the doors, Lester almost jumped as they clicked closed behind him. The building seemed eerily silent without the presence of children. Too quiet.

Lester took a deep breath to calm his nerves. It wouldn't do his image any good if he shot something in fright. Although he did flick the safety off of his weapon.

He glanced both ways down the corridor before creeping towards the stairs. Lester felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he passed the bottom of the stairs, following the signs to the library.

Lester spun at the creak, his rifle pointing up the stairs. He blinked.

Had he seen something move?

He hoped it was just his nerves playing tricks on him, but gripped the rifle tighter. He was just too exposed to anything that might be in here.

He eased open the fire door and winced as it creaked. The corridor stretched before him with glass windows in every door. Lester crept up to the first door and peered inside. The room was a mess, books and paper seemingly tossed everywhere, no doubt from the children's rush to escape the building.

Lester spun back towards the fire door as it swung back and forth. His breath caught in his throat as he waited for an attack.

Breathing deeply as his pounding heart slowed, Lester mopped his brow with his ever-present handkerchief. He was not cut out for field work. He knew Tom was far better at this than he was. It was after all what his lover was paid for.

Lester licked his lips as he returned to his slow, careful progress down the corridor, although he did pause and glance at the fire door again. Just to make sure.

_Damn it. Now I'm jumping at shadows._

Finally Lester came to the door marked 'Library'. Great. The one time he wanted a glass window in a door, the damn thing was solid wood.

A scream cut through the air and had Lester crashing through the door before he could even think that was a bad idea.

The room was large and divided by shelves of books. There was an upper balcony level of yet more books, the perfect hunting ground for a predator. Lester just hoped there wasn't one in here with him.

And Lester had just announced his presence. _Tom will have words about that slip if I ever tell him about it_. He grinned - _Tom will have words anyway, about me coming in here, into danger._

Licking his lips as he surveyed the room, Lester backed against the door. At least then he couldn't be ambushed. He hoped.

How the hell was he supposed to find the child in this place? He sighed, there was nothing else for it.

Lester yelled. “Hey, kid. Where are you?”

The boy's cry of “Over here” answered Lester. But so too did the barking cry of some creature.

At least Lester now had some idea of where the child was. Unfortunately, the creature (or more than one, his subconscious helpfully whispered) knew where he was.

“Where's over here?”

“I'm on top of stack J4.”

Lester sighed as he peered up at the nearest shelves - A2 and A3. Great. He had at least ten sets of shelves to navigate whilst avoiding whatever was in here with them, and then the fun of doing the same again to get back to the doors. _Please, Tom. Get back here. I need you._

Lester paused to check his rifle before sliding along the wall until he reached the shelves labelled as A4. He peered down the aisle in the hope of seeing the boy. Lester cursed as he realised that the shelves changed orientation, but he had no option except to hope J4 lay down that aisle.

Taking a deep breath, Lester stepped away from the vague safety of the wall and crept as quietly as he could down the aisle between A3 and A4. The shelves on either side of him seemed to tower above his head in a rather ominous fashion, like a dark sky threatening to thunder.

_Crash._

Lester spun around with his rifle sweeping the area. Nothing. Or rather, nothing that he could see.

A blur of movement to his left had Lester on one knee with the rifle pointing that way.

_Crash._

Lester jumped back to his feet and almost bolted away from the sounds. He stopped his mad flight - running about blindly with who knew what in here was not a good idea.

In fact, this whole bloody day was turning out to be not one of his better ideas. Why the fuck hadn't he waited for back-up? But Lester knew the answer to that question. The missing boy was about the same age as one of his sons, he wouldn't – couldn't - waste the time waiting for backup. Time the boy might not have.

Lester leant against one of the stacks, dragging air into his lungs as he tried to still his pounding heart. The books and solid wood of the shelves would hopefully protect his back.

The scratch of claws above his head had Lester diving forwards and spinning just as a blur landed where he had been standing. It wasn't all that big, only about two-and-a-half feet tall. But the long sharp claw on its back foot showed it meant business. _Fuck. All I need, a bloody velociraptor. That identification good enough for you, Cutter? But this is not good. Not good at all._ Its feathers were ruffled and from its hissing, Lester took it that it was not a happy raptor.

As it leapt towards him Lester fired and threw himself to one side, caution momentarily forgotten as he raced to the next stack.

Lester froze as he looked around to see where he was and to listen out for any more of the creatures. _Fuck, F6._ Not good. The bloody creatures had been driving him off-course. He checked the shelves nearest to him to find the right direction and resumed his journey towards J4, the angry chitter behind him enough to make Lester's steps faster.

“Hey, mister, you still there?”

“Yes.”

“Please. Hurry. I'm scared.”

“You're not the only one.” Lester muttered under his breath, before calling out. “What's your name?”

“Tom. What's yours?”

_Tom! Why had he just shivered on hearing that name? It was just a name like any other, wasn't it. What did it matter that it was the same as his lover's?_ Lester felt another cold shiver down his back: what did his aunt say about that ... oh yes, as if someone had stepped on his grave. He swallowed hard, not a thought to be having here, not in this situation. Lester shook himself before yelling back. “James.”

“I want to go home, James.”

_Don't we all._ “I'll get you home, Tom.”

“Promise?”

Lester swallowed hard before answering. “I promise.”

Lester could hear the tap-tap of the raptor's claws as they paced behind him. This was so not a good idea. _Dear God. Where was Tom? His Tom. Urgh, OK, Ryan. Let's stick with Ryan._ “Are you still on J4?”

“Yeah. Where are you?”

Lester glanced around and threw himself to the floor as a raptor leapt at him. Rolling to his feet, he fired a shot into the creature.

“James?” The boy's voice held the note of terror.

“Still here. Um. H6.” _Fuck. They're trying to prevent me getting to the kid._ “Call out when you can see me, OK, Tom?”

“OK.”

As Lester resumed making his way towards J4 he couldn't help the feeling that the raptors were playing with him. _Well, let them. Just so long as they don't tire of their game before I find Tom, before T ... dammit, Ryan and the cavalry arrives._

“Hey, James. Over here!”

Lester looked up into the frightened but smiling face of a young lad. “Tom, I assume?”

“Yeah.” Tom's face froze and he yelled out. “Look out!”

Lester spun around and swallowed as he backed against J4. _Bloody hell. How bloody many of them were there?._ “Has this room got another exit, Tom?”

“There's one on the upper floor. Up the steps over by M3.”

“How far is that?”

“Nearer than the main door and away from them.”

“Ah. That's good. Any raptors on that side?”

“Looks OK.”

Lester froze and the raptors swung their heads around at the sound of the doors being banged open.

“Sir James?”

Lester almost closed his eyes in relief. “Ryan!”

“Where are you, sir?”

“J4. I've found the child and about eight raptors.”

“We're on our way.”

“Keep an eye open, Ryan, they like to jump off the shelves.”

“Will do.”

Lester sighed softly. “Here comes the cavalry, Tom.”

“Good. I really want to go home.”

“So do I.”

Lester watched as the raptors hissed at him before retreating. He didn't trust them for a minute. “Ryan. The raptors are leaving. Watch out for them.”

“You too, sir. They might be changing tactics.”

Lester nodded. He knew that. That was what was scaring him. “OK, Tom?”

“Yes. Can I get down?”

“I was thinking about coming up there with you.”

Lester waited for the boy's response. “Tom?”

Tom's voice was scared again. “There's a raptor up here.”

“Get down. Now!”

The bark of the raptor and the scream of the child, followed by a thud, had Lester running around the shelves, heedless of any danger.

Lester took in the situation in a second.

Tom was white with shock as he scrambled away from the raptor, towards Lester.

The raptor's long claws tapped on the floor as it snaked its head forward and hissed.

Lester raised his rifle and cursed softly. If he fired now the chance of hitting the boy was too great. Circling for a better position, Lester froze as he heard Tom cry out.

“Help me. Please. Shoot it!”

The creature looked up at Lester. Its gaze was far to intelligent for Lester's liking. Suddenly it let out a bark and leapt.

The rifle in Lester's hands bucked as he fired a burst into the creature.

Lester let out a slow breath as the creature twitched before lying still. That had been far too close.

“OK, Tom?”

Tom didn't answer. He just rushed at Lester and wrapped his arms around him, sobbing.

Lester patted the lad's shoulder. “Keep close to me, Tom.”

Ryan's shout made them both jump. “James! Are you OK?”

Lester smiled slightly at his lover's slip before he yelled back. “Just an impatient raptor. Come and get us, Ryan.”

“Yes, sir. We're at D4.”

“Can we go and meet them?” Tom's voice sounded muffled against Lester's waist.

Lester sighed. He'd prefer to stay here with Tom between him and the shelves, where he could protect the child. “We'll go back around the other side and see what the situation is, OK?”

“OK.”

Cautiously moving along the shelves, Lester could feel the boy following almost on his heels. He peered around the end of the shelves. It looked clear.

Lester made sure he kept his back to the shelves and Tom between himself and the books. Slowly moving until he could see down the aisle he thought Ryan would use, Lester muttered under his breath, “Come on, Ryan.”

“James?” Tom's voice sounded curious.

“Hmm?”

“Have you got a horse?”

“A what?”

“A horse. I thought all knights had horses.”

Lester smiled. “Not any more.” _Although, I have got a highly-trained Special Forces captain, not that I'm going to tell a child about that._

A blur of motion from one side had Lester spinning and his rifle barking as he hit the charging raptor. A sudden and high pitched scream had him turning back towards Tom.

Tom was down and screaming.

Lester fired without thinking. The sound of clicking finally penetrated Lester's consciousness as he held the trigger down.

He slowly released his grip before dropping the now empty weapon.

His steps slow, Lester approached the child. Approached Tom.

***

Ryan crouched down as he watched the creature grazing between the trees.

Nick's gasp sounded beside him. “It's a Udanoceratops.”

“Trouble?”

Nick shrugged. “Possibly. I'd treat it like a rhino. It will probably charge if it's angered.”

Ryan nodded, but before he could give his orders his radio crackled.

Ryan held his breath as the creature snorted before moving away from the noise. His voice quiet, Ryan answered. “Ryan.”

Jenny's voice replied. “Captain. We're got a situation. James has gone in after a child who we think stayed in the building. Possibly in the library.”

_What the fuck was his lover thinking?_ Ryan swallowed. “What?”

“He wants you back here.” Jenny's voice paused for a moment. “There might be a creature.”

Ryan's heart had almost stopped at that news. _Fuck, no James. What bit of my telling you not to go off by yourself didn't you understand this morning._ “Ditzy, Blade come with me. Lyle, you're in charge.” Ryan didn't wait for an answer before he hared off back across the playing fields.

Once at the building, Ryan's training took over and they cautiously entered and made their way to the library.

Ryan nodded to Blade before they kicked the doors open, letting them bang against the walls. _Hopefully that will distract anything in here._

Ryan yelled: “Sir James?” _Please answer._

He let out a breath at Lester's answering yell. “Ryan!”

“Where are you, sir?”

There was a pause before Ryan heard the reply. “J4. I've found the child and about eight raptors.”

Ryan closed his eyes. _Fuck! That was not good._ “We're on our way.”

“Keep an eye open, Ryan, they like to jump off the shelves.”

“Will do.” _Bloody hell, James. You'd better be in one piece._

Ditzy nodded to the shelves. “It looks like these are all labelled. If we find A4 we should just be able to head to J4 in a straight line.”

Ryan nodded. “Good. Move out and keep your eyes open.”

Lester yelled out again. “Ryan. The raptors are leaving. Watch out for them.”

“You too, sir. They might be changing tactics.” _Don't lower your guard, love. They might be trying to lure you into a false sense of security._

Ryan found himself having to consciously slow down, to remember his training. It wouldn't do James any good if he rushed in and got people killed, no matter how much he wanted to have his lover safe in his arms.

The bark of a raptor and a terrified scream had Ryan moving slightly faster than was sensible. He needed to get to James. A hand on Ryan's arm had him glance into the concerned face of Ditzy.

“You won't do Lester any favours getting yourself killed, boss.”

Ryan closed his eyes and nodded. _forgive me, love._

The young terrified voice that cried out had all the soldiers tighten their grips on their guns. “Help me. Please. Shoot it!”

The answering sound of a rifle being fired made Ryan smile, although he still needed to be sure. “James! Are you OK?” _Fuck. I just called him James. Well, it's not as if we're a secret._

Lester's voice was like balm to Ryan's soul. “Just an impatient raptor. Come and get us, Ryan.”

Ryan smiled. _I'd like nothing more, love._ “Yes, sir. We're at D4.” Moving out again Ryan let Blade take point. He needed someone with their mind fully on that job.

Blade's low voice carried back to Ryan. “We're being trailed. Two moving down the stacks on our left and another three on our right.”

“Five and with the one Lester shot that makes six, so Lester should only have to worry about two.”

Ryan almost smiled as Ditzy attempted to be positive. “Hopefully.” _That meant his lover was still left facing two of those bloody beasts!_

One of the left-side raptors jumped up on to the shelves above them and Ryan spun to fire at it. As he did, a second one – from the right – dodged in for a hit. It fell with a knife in its eye.

The sound of distant gunfire had Blade remark: “One raptor left for Lester. Four for us.”

“Blade!” Ryan didn't need Blade to remind him how many raptors were left, even one was one too many as far as he was concerned.

“Sorry, boss.”

Ryan nodded as Blade did sound like he meant it. Movement off to the side had Ryan on one knee as he growled out, “Watch them.”

“We're on it,” Ditzy's calm voice served to calm Ryan's fears, until his focus was shattered by the high-pitched scream that split the air. He only just managed to fire at the raptor that leapt at him, Ditzy's shot also hitting it.

“Lester should be clear now, boss, and that leaves three of the buggers left for us,” Blade stated as he swept their surroundings.

The screaming continued and the soldiers exchanged glances at the sound of continuous gunfire. “OK. I've had enough. Blade take the left side, Ditzy the right. I'll cover.”

“Boss.”

Blade and Ditzy took a deep breath before they leapt around the ends of their allocated shelves and fired a burst. One of the raptors jumped from the top of a shelf towards Blade's back but it was cut down by Ryan's gunfire.

“Blade?”

“All three down, sir. I'll just make sure.”

The three soldiers jogged towards J4, still keeping an eye out for any unreported raptors. The screaming they had heard had ceased and worry for Lester's safety filled Ryan's mind as he began to break into a run.

Ryan skidded to a stop with his rifle raised. He gasped at the sight as he heard Ditzy swear behind him.

Blood covered everything.

The raptor had been torn to pieces - he doubted if even Cutter would have been able to identify it from the wreckage.

The half-choked off moan pulled Ryan's eyes from the creature to Lester. He took a step forward before stopping. Ryan's mind struggled to take in the image.

His lover was keening, a low, broken moan of pain as he knelt on the floor. He was covered in blood. The limp body of a child was hugged to his chest as Lester rocked.

No one moved for a moment until Ditzy shook his head and dropped to the floor beside Lester, ignoring the blood soaking into his combats as he checked the child.

Ryan saw Ditzy's eyes close and his face crease in pain. Ryan knew, even before Ditzy shook his head, that they were too late.

Ditzy's voice was remarkably steady, calm and soothing. “Shh, sir. You have to let go of him.” When Lester ignored him, Ditzy looked up at Ryan. “Boss. Help me.”

Ryan took a shaky breath before dropping beside them, his touch gentle as he forced Lester to look at him. His lover's tear-stained face caused Ryan to blink back his own tears. “Please, James. Let him go.” His hands firm on Lester's arms, Ryan tugged Lester away from the child's body and into his own arms. He rocked his lover gently. “Shh, James. It'll be OK.”

Ditzy gently checked Lester before he rose and sighed softly. “Right. Boss, we need to get him out of here.”

Ryan nodded as he pulled Lester to his feet. He sighed at the blood covering his lover. James did not need that reminder of events. “Blade. See if you can find some clothing for Sir James.”

Blade nodded. “I'll find some for you and Ditzy as well.” He paused as his eyes fell on the child's body. “And a body bag.”

Ditzy added. “Blade, we'll be in the showers we passed on the way in.”

Ryan pulled Lester's arm over his shoulder before helping him to the showers. Propping Lester against the wall, Ryan quickly stripped both himself and his lover.

Ryan gently cleaned Lester of every trace of blood, before quickly washing himself. He pulled Lester into his arms and rocked his lover while softly murmuring in his ear, hoping the sound of his voice would reach his numb lover.

“Boss?”

“In here, Blade.”

“I've got three sets of combats, but I had to guess Sir James' size. I've also got hold of some towels. I'll leave them out here.”

Ryan knew Blade would keep everyone away until they were ready to meet them.

***

Ryan kept a hand on Lester's arm as he half-guided his worryingly passive and unresponsive lover out of the building. He saw Cutter's angry face as the man headed towards them. _Fuck. Not now, Cutter._

Ryan could have almost kissed Ditzy when he stepped forward to head the man off. Ryan could hear Cutter's voice raised in anger but didn't listen as Lester needed him.

Silence fell and Ryan looked up. Blade and Lyle had emerged, a body bag in their arms. He turned Lester so the man couldn't see the procession, instead guiding his lover into his car and climbing in himself. Pulling Lester against him, Ryan spoke softly. “Take us to Sir James' flat, please.”

“Right you are, sir.” The driver's concerned gaze met Ryan's. “Is Sir James OK?”

“He will be,” Ryan stated with perhaps more confidence than he felt. _I'll make sure of it._


End file.
